


Just One of Those Days

by FrostWolfGirl



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies), The Hunger Games (Movies) RPF
Genre: Coffee Shop, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 18:32:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8725651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrostWolfGirl/pseuds/FrostWolfGirl
Summary: She's been due for a meltdown. Today it happens. A Haymitch and Effie one-shot written for Emma for her birthday.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ghost_Rider_of_the_Aragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost_Rider_of_the_Aragon/gifts).



> This work was originally posted on my tumblr account. After combing for typos I decided to post it here for all of you lovely people. Comments and Kudos always welcome. =)

She’s doing it again… that thing where she cocks her head to the side and purses her lips. Her lipstick makes her very full and delicious mouth look thin enough as it is, as if she’s always puckering up for a kiss, but when she actually does pucker her lips it makes her look like a charactuer of herself.

Haymitch hates it.

He hates it and he loves it at the same time. He hates it when this look is directed at him because he knows he’s gone and done something to upset her and now he’s in deep shit. But he loves it when it’s directed at someone else. Mostly because it means he’s in for a show.

“I said _soy_ milk,” Effie says in a very serious and almost deadly tone. If a tone could stop time, hers would do it because the poor barista behind the counter freezes instantly. Haymitch can’t help but smirk. This… this is going to be fantastic!

“I… I’m sorry, ma’am…” the poor kid says.

“Did you just call me ma’am?” Effie asks, her eyes widening. By now the folks on either side of her have stopped to watch and Haymitch shrugs behind her as if to say, _What am I supposed to do?_ “Do I look _old_ to you?”

“No, ma’am… miss! Miss! No, not at all! You look very young.”

“So now you’re calling me a child?!” Effie puffs up.

Haymitch’s hand flies to his mouth to contain his laughter. She’s been due for a blow up and this is just too much fun to stop.

“Do I look like a child?” Effie continues. “Speak up!”

“No!” the poor kid is fumbling for words and Haymitch actually feels sorry for him.

“Hey. Lay off it, Eff…” he entreats.

“Lay… off… it?” Effie says before turning. When she does, those gorgeous baby blues hit him square in the face and they flash with annoyance. “Did I invite you into this conversation?”

Haymitch holds his hands up in surrender, averting his eyes a little so she knows she is once again in charge. Effie rolls her head back to the barista and crosses her arms over her chest. “Back to the topic at hand, young man,” she says. “I asked for soy milk in my latte with a pinch of coconut and a tiny sprinkling of cinnamon. So, what is this that you’ve handed me?”

“A latte… ma’am… miss…” he says trying to figure out what to call her.

“A latte…” Effie’s body rolls downward overly dramatic and sarcastic. “A latte he says!” She turns fully to the rest of the coffee shop, her voice raising. “A latte made with whole milk! WHOLE MILK!” Back the barista, annoyance flashing. “Are you _trying_ to ruin my figure? I’ve worked hard on these hips since the last Hunger Games! I have a reputation to protect!”

No one in the coffee shop is drinking coffee anymore. Literally no one has seen a display like this in District 10. The coffee shop only just opened maybe a month ago, and no one knew that lattes were even an option. And here comes Effie Fucking Trinket showcasing the very reason why District One was so hated.

“Eff, people are staring…” Haymitch tries again. He makes eye contact with a woman and waves at her.

“I should think so!” Effie huffs, flipping her hand about in the air. “Look at the situation at hand! This is a disaster! I haven’t seen such a mess of a coffee shop since District 13!”

“There weren’t coffee shops in District 13, darling…”

“DO. YOU. MIND. HAYMITCH?” Effie turns on him.

Oh shit… This is what he gets for being sober. And nice. If Peeta were here he’d have had better luck. Or hell, even Katnis would have been able to think of something to say. For all her grave oddities, she always was one for words. Haymitch should have paid attention…

“I’m just trying to point out that…” he says in a soothing voice.

“That what? That I should pay money for this… this… BLUNDER?”

“No, sweetheart,” he says still holding up his hands more for protection than anything else. He takes a step forward and keeps talking. “I’m just saying yelling won’t get you a better latte faster. Look at the kid, you’ve scared him half to death.”

Effie looks between the barista and Haymitch a few times and then out to the coffee shop. As she looks at people they all avert their eyes or pretend they’re doing something else.

“May I…” she says slowly and with great effort, “…have a fresh latte…. With soy milk… please?”

“Yes, Miss…” the barista begins working on the fresh latte.

It’s like the record started spinning again as people return to their conversations. Haymitch puts his hands on either one of her shoulders and smiles.

“There, was that so hard?” he asks with a smile.

She’s doing it again… pursing her lips… and Haymitch finds it undeniably sexy this time.

“Yes,” she pouts dramatically. “…No… I suppose not…”

He cups her face in both of his calloused and rough hands. For all her flaws and over dramatics and insanities, he loves this woman. Fiercely. “Now, now,” he says softly and watches the effect of his tenderness on her. Effie practically melts in his hands when he talks to her in this tone. “It’s just a coffee. He’s just a kid, not much older than Peeta when we first went off to the Capital. Give him a break, hmm?”

“Oh… you’re right…” Effie says honestly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make such a scene.”

“Tell _him_ that, darling,” he says, looking at the boy behind the counter.

The young man holds up a paper cup to her. “Here you are, Miss Trinket,” he says softly.

Effie looks back at Haymitch. He steps back a little to give her room. She takes the cup and takes a small, tentative sip. It’s…

It’s perfect.

Effie smiles a genuine smile at the boy. “Please forgive my outburst,” she says honestly and sweetly.

“Th-thank you, Miss Trinket,” the boy mutters and gives a shy smile. “I… I hope y-you have a v-very n-nice stay in the District…”

She nods and finally, _finally_ Haymitch gets her to leave the coffee shop. They walk ten feet down the street before a passerby compliments Effie on her hair piece.

Oh shit….

Effie stops dead in her tracks and turns very, very slowly toward the person in question. “Are you implying this is not my natural hair?” she asks in a huff. Haymitch pinches the bridge of his nose.

It’s going to be one of _those_ days…


End file.
